EFFECT OF PESTICIDES ON SHOT HOLE BORER EUWALLACEA FORNICATUS (EICHHOFF) (SCOLYTIDAE: COLEOPTERA) FEEDING PATHOGENIC FUNGI FUSARIUM BUGNICOURTII (BRAY FORD)

• Author Details:   
• C. Sundaravadivelan
• P. Kumar
• J. Anburaj
• T. Kuberan
• S. Sivasubramanian

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Tea is one of the major nonalcoholic beverages in the world. Being a perennial crop, it provides a stable environment for a number of pests and diseases. Pests are important factors limiting the productivity and quality of processed tea. Among the pests, the shot hole borer (SHB), Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff) is a serious pest of tea in south India. These beetles have a symbiotic relationship with the fungus Fusarium bugnicourtii. The fungal spores are carried by the beetles in special organs called mycangia located in the buccal cavity of head. Spores of the ambrosia fungus borne by the female beetles adhere to the walls of the stem galleries. On germination of spores, the grubs and adults feed on the fungus. Hence a novel approach has been attempted to find out the efficacy of pesticides on the fungus, F. bugnicourtii. Results showed 50 % reduction of fungi while tested with Dicofol, Endosulfan, Quinalphos and Lambdacyhalothrin. The high significance was observed in Dicofol and Endosulfan, and no significance was recorded in Lime sulphur, Ethion and control treatments at 0.05 %.

Keywords: Shot Hole Borer; Euwallacea fornicatus; Fusarium bugnicourtii; Feeding; Pesticides; Growth inhibition.